o7The following is from the Sept. 20...

o7The following is from the Sept. 20 meeting of the Laguna Beach

City Council.

f7

SOUTH LAGUNA STREET LIGHTS

No action was taken to change a previous council vote approving

special street lights for South Laguna not offered by San Diego Gas

and Electric that are more expensive to buy and maintain than regular

lights.

Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman opposed the purchase for the South

Laguna Pedestrian Improvement project -- a project she had

spearheaded.

Kinsman said the city could save about $260,000 if it used the

utility-approved lights.

Kinsman said the extra expense was not warranted in tight

financial times and was unfair to other neighborhoods where approved

lights have been installed.

Councilwoman Jane Egly took exception to Kinsman’s opposition.

“I am trying not to be angry,” Egly said.

“This is not about saving money. This is chump change.”

WHAT IT MEANS

The previously approved street lights will be installed and

maintained by the city, which will also be liable in any accidents

involving the lights.

LOMA TERRACE CONDO PROJECT

By a vote of 4-1, the council approved an airspace subdivision at

382 and 384 Loma Terrace.

Plans call for two residential condominium units to be built on a

9,590-square-foot parcel in an R-2 residential medium density zoning

district.

Kinsman opposed the subdivision.

NO STAKE IN STAKES

An amendment to the city code was proposed that precluded anyone

with a financial interest in a project from certifying the building

envelope survey -- the stakes -- for a project to be reviewed for

design.

WHAT IT MEANS

If passed at the second reading, the municipal code will be

amended, restricting certification of the accuracy of the location

and height of staking poles to a professional land surveyor or civil

engineer with no financial interest in the project.

NOTICING PROCEDURES

The council supported a planning commission recommendation against

the expansion of the area noticed for projects and noticing tenants.

The proposal to notice property owners within 500 feet of projects

would have increased the number of notices by 231 percent, doubling

staff time and the applicants’ costs.

WHAT IT MEANS

Noticing procedures will not change. Property owners within 300

feet will be noticed.

FIRE SAFETY

David Horne, representing the Greater Laguna Coast Fire Safe

Council, said 93 Red Flag Patrol members are ready to go into the

canyons and hills to watch for fires.

RELAY FOR LIFE

Treasurer Laura Parisi said the Laguna Beach Relay for Life raised

about $140,000 for the American Cancer Association, with donations

still coming in.

LANDSLIDE ACTION

* The Council extended the declaration of emergency for the June 1

landslide.

* Mayor Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider acknowledged the work of city

Project Manager Wade Brown and Ganahl Lumber in relocating mobile

homes to Laguna Canyon for four families displaced by the June 1

Flamingo Road landslide.

TRAFFIC ISSUES

The council directed City Manager Ken Frank to contact Caltrans

about moving a proposed traffic signal from 10th Street and Coast

Highway to 9th Street

The council also approved an agreement with the city of Aliso

Viejo for the shared cost of maintaining a traffic signal at the

intersection of El Toro Road and Bells Vireo/The Club Drive.